RALEIGH, N.C. — A rezoning request for just under an acre of land in downtown Raleigh has left the city council stuck between a rock and a hard place, and the beloved Berkeley Cafe in danger of being demolished.
What You Need To Know
- Land just across from Nash Square on West Martin Street is currently sitting vacant, except for a tiny parcel in the corner, which happens to be the historic Berkeley Cafe
- The rezoning request would double the allowed height limit for the land — going from 20 stories to 40
- Developers currently have no plans to preserve or incorporate the building the cafe currently leases
Berkeley Cafe has been a staple in downtown Raleigh for over 40 years, and the building it sits in has been there even longer — home to different restaurants for the past 100 years. But a rezoning request by a developer has put the cafe’s future in its current space in jeopardy.
“It's the new people who are going to make the purchase are the ones that get to say whether we stay or go, and they've already said, we want you out,'” Lisa Lewis, one of the owners and bartender, said. “I don't think it's hit me yet.”
Lewis has seen firsthand the impact the Berkeley Cafe has had on the community and all those who have walked through its doors. The unassuming brick building has been Raleigh's home for live music since the 1980s, and its staff and customers can't imagine saying goodbye now.
“We've got nothing but office buildings and condos and hotels going up, and I do know that there's a need for hotels, but there's a need for things for the citizens of this city,” Lewis said.
In Tuesday's meeting, the city council opted to table the rezoning request, pushing out the vote for another two weeks — in such time they requested that discussions take place between the current owners, the developers and the Berkley on a way to extend their current lease and preserve the building.
“Our hands are tied, there's just nothing we can do, it's just sad,” Lewis said. “We've got two weeks to breathe, and then we'll hit the next city council meeting and see what happens there.”
Raleigh's Historic Development Commission did recommend approval of the zoning request in a 7-2 vote, and the planning commission unanimously approved the plan, citing more development in the area will reduce reliance on vehicles and therefore carbon emission — all in line with helping the city address climate change. That leaves it up to the city council to approve or deny the zoning request.
During the city council meeting, Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin brought up 'memory of place' — the fact that Berkeley's has been a gathering place for all who call Raleigh home for decades.
“We have so many people that come and visit. They've moved out of state, and if they happen to come to down, they're always going to come down here and reminisce,” Lewis said.
That nostalgia surrounding the cafe has led to the impossible question: is the attachment to the restaurant or the building it resides in? Lewis, however, said you can't have one without the other and all of it would be nothing without their customers.
“We thank them, and we love them, we thank them for all the support they're giving us now, and all the support they've given the Berkeley over the years,” Lewis said. “We'll always go down swinging, we don't have a lot of leeway on it but we'll definitely have our voice heard.”
As of right now, the Berkeley still has to be out of this space by the end of November, but they said even if they are forced to move, they will not close their doors permanently.
“We'll never replace this building, but we will look for somewhere else to go, and we'll take the community with us,” Lewis said.